Automatic releasing tongs



E. E. GREVE AUTOMATIC RELEASING TONGS Filed March 1. 1922 Patented s.so, 1928.

EDGAR 3. Gun, 01' BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

nv'roiu rro measure Tones.

vApplicationnl'ed Iaroh 1, 1982. Serial No. 540,188.

The stem is rotated by means of a rotary or other suitable mechanism,and, as the depth of the well increases, new sections are addedto thestem. This. is accomplished in most drilling mechanisms by holding thestem stationary in a temporarily fixed section of the rotary, while thesection being added is screwed into the fixed stem by means of a ipe 2otong which is rotated by a revolving tab e or rin of the rotary.

he rotary is of necessity a heavy machine, and the rotating part mayattain considerable momentum. In many cases, therefore, when pipesections are bein added, the revolving part of the rotary anconsequently the tong, is moving when the joint becomes tight or is madeup. As a result of this, some injury is apt to be done to some part ofthe drilling l0 rig-l he present invention has for its object to providea ton which will release its grip on the section 0 pipe which it engagesat the proper time, or at the time the joint is properl made up.

The accompanying drawings illustrate m invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tong embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar view, but with a part of the tong insection, and showing the I gripping means moved to a slightly differentposition; and

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2 of one modification of theinvention.

Referrin to the construction shown in Figs. 1 an 2 of the drawings, 5designates the tong handle having a nose or pipe engaging portion 6, andaving a rectangular o ening 7 therein. In the nose are provided bits 8or other Suitable pipe engaging means. In some instances, rollers mightbe substi' tuted for the bits.

The main jaw of the tong is designated 86 generally as 10, and has acurved ipe engaging portion 11 and a bifurcat handle shoulder is formedat 17.

receiving portion 12, which forms two spaced apart ears. The i e en a inortion 11 is preferably provitizafwith b i ts In the rectangular opening7 is a slidable block 15 having a reduced extension 16.

The interior of the block is drilled or hollowed out, a hole 18 beingformed therein. Both ends of the block are open, but-the opening towardthe pipe engaging end of the handle is restricted y flange 19.

A longltudinally extending bolt 20 is passed throu h the hollow interiorof the block, its hea being retained therein, while its stem or shankrojects out against the innermost end of th Threaded on the bolt 20 is anut 21 which may be fixed in position on the bolt by a pin or set screw22. Against the nut 21 is a washer 23 which forms an abutment for oneend of a still compression spring 24. The other end of the sprin abutsagainst the shoulder 17. The bolt an block are thus relatively movable,that is, the bolt is slidable in the block, but the inward movement isagainst the resistance of compression spring 24.

Passing transversely through block 15 and through the ears of thebifurcated end of the main aw at a suitable position, is a pin or bolt25 having a nut on one end thereof, or an equivalent means, forproviding a pivot for the jaw and handle.

vIn the drawings, P designates the pipe. In Fig. 1, thetong is in pipegripping posi tion. Spring 24 urges the jaws into a tight grippingrelation with the pipe. When the pipe joint is made up, the pipe resistsfure rectangular opening.

ther rotative movement, but the handle 5 continues to be moved.Consequently, the handle is forced outwardly, sliding bolt 22 inwardlyto the position shown in Fig. 2, against the compression of spring. 24.As the handle then continues to move, the jaw or nose 6 will be forcedout of gripping engagement with the pipe and assume theposition shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, and the block and bolt will assume their normalposition.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is somewhat similar, but instead of thehandle and the main jaw being movable relatively to each other,longitudinally, they are fixed against longitudinal movement and thehandle is provided with a relatively movable nose. In Fig. 3, 30designates the handle and 31 the main jaw. The jaw 31 is similar to thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The pivot for the jaw and handle is indicated at33. In the lower end of the handle is a recess 34. A detachable awmember is provided, which has an extension 36 thereon extending intorecess 34. In the recess 34 is a compression spring 37. A projecting rod38 on extension 36 serves toslidably retain the jaw 35 in position.

The way in which the tong is shown in this modification is substantiallythe same as that described in connection with Fig. 1. When the piperesists further rotative movement, resistanm of spring 37 is overcomeand the jaws are spread until jaw 35 has moved past dead center, when itwill be thrown out of gripping position. This modification is shown andclaimed in my application Serial No. 34,847, filed June 4, 1925.

Various other changes and modifications may be made within thecontemplation of the invention and within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe tong having a pair of pivotally connected pipe engagingmembers, one of which is movable arcuatel with respect to the other andtoward an away from the other, a spring for urging said movable membertoward the other and resiliently holding it in pipe engaging position,said movable member being moved in an arc and away from the other memberto releasing position when the resistance of the pipe being .turned bsaid tong exceeds the turning pressure appied to the tong and theresistance of the spring.

2. A pipe ton having a pair of pipe eng ing members, o e of which has ahandle 2%- tension which is out of alinement with the pipe engagingportion thereof, a pivoting and slidable connection between the twomembers, and means for resiliently urging one of the members toward theother and effecting an automatic release of the tong from the pipe whena predetermined resistance is encountered, said means being operablewhile the tong is rotated in a single direction.

3. In a pipe tong, a jaw, a handle pivotally secured to the jaw andhaving pipe engaging means, said handle and its engaging means movablein an arc and. also away from the jaw to disengage the tong, and springmeans for urging the handle and its pipe engaging means towards the pipeand permitting an automatic release of the tong upon compression of thespring when a predetermined resistance is encountered, said means being0-perable to effect the said result while the tong is rotated in asingle direction.

4. An automatic releasing tong including a pair of cooperating membersone of which is movable in an are relatively to the other into and outof pipe engaging position, one of said members being reciprocable'towardand away from the other, and means for resiliently ur ing saidreciprocable member toward the other and into pipe engaging osition andeffecting a release of the tong rom the pipe while the tong is rotatedin a single direction.

5. A tong comprising a handle having an opening therein near one endthereof and a gripping means at the endof the handle nearest theopening, a block in said opening, a bolt slidably engaging the block,there being an abutment on the bolt and an abutment on the block, acompression s ring interposed between the abutments an a jaw pivotallyconnected with the blOCli.

6. A tong comprising a handle having an opening therein near one endthereof and a gripping means at the end of the handle nearest t eopening, a block in said opening, a bolt slidably engaging the block,there being an abutment on the bolt and an abutment on the block, acompression spring interposed between the abutments, a jaw having abifurcated extension thereon adapted to receive the handle, and a pinpassing through the bifurcated extension and through said block forpivotally connecting the jaw and handle.

7. A pipe tong comprising a handle on which is carried an operating aw,a main jaw pivotally and slidably connected with the bandle, whereby theoperating aw may be swung in an are relatively to the main jaw and mayslide incidental to swinging when resistance to turning beyond apredetermined dc ee is offered b the pipe, and means where y the radius0 the are through which the operating jaw travels may be varied for eachointof contact with an object being gripped? 8. A pipe tong comprising agripping jaw thereon, an an opposed jaw, said gripping jaw carried atthe end of the handle and out of alinement therewith, means pivotallyand slidably connecting the other jaw and the handle, means for normaliyholding the jaws in a gripping position, said second mentioned meansenabling the jaws to spread when an object being turned thereby ofi'ersresistance to further movement beyond a predetermined amount.

9. In a pipe tong, a jaw member, a handle pivotally secured to the jawmember and having pipe engaging means, means for urging a handle havingthe said pipe engaging means into operative engagement with a pipe andeffecting an automatic release of the tong from the pipe when apredetermined resistance is encountered, said means being operable whilethe tong is rotated in a single direction.

10. In a pipe tong, a jaw member, a handle member pivotally secured tothe jaw member, a spring-projected pipe-engaging means on one of themembers, and a pipe-engaging means on the other member, said handlemember being movable in an are from pipe-engaging to pipe-releasingposition upon forcing the spring-projected pipe-engaging means to othermember, said handle member being retracted position. movable in an arefrom pipe-engaging to 11. A self-releasing tong comprising a jawpipe-releasingwyosition upon forcing the 10 member, a. handle memberpivotally carried spring-projec pipe-engaging element to 5 at one end ofthe aw member, a spring proretracted position.

j ected pipe-engagqng element on 'one of the In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature: members, and a pipe-engaging element on the EDGAR E.GREVE.

